Ask 10 different CIO’s what Digital Transformation means and you will probably get 10 different answers. That is because as a concept, Digital Transformation is as broad as the Industrial Revolution, and they have some similar features, too. These are not dated disruptions: Both involve an accumulation of technological developments, and both redefine the way we produce, interact, consume and live on a global scale.
Technological innovations - sometimes as the cause, sometimes as the effect - have put a new twist on the most banal aspects of modern life, such as dissatisfaction with taxi services in every city in the world or the bureaucracy of banks. They have also changed the way we approach far more complex issues, such as the gap between business strategy and its implementation.
In this world where market cycles are accelerating all the time and today’s model could be disrupted tomorrow, the ability to operate adaptively is critical to business success. That’s where the concept of digital transformation comes in. At a high level, “digital transformation represents a radical rethinking of how an enterprise uses technology to radically change performance”, according to George Westerman, principal research scientist with the MIT Sloan Initiative on the Digital Economy.
We are outcome-focused
The most disruptive business innovations involve recent but not brand new technologies. If we take Uber as an example, we can see that the business was only possible due to the availability of geolocation services, as well as the strategic vision of the payment providers, who opted for integration with third parties through APIs. In other words, these technologies already existed and were stable and cost-effective. However, to see transformative value outcomes, businesses needed the technical expertise and know-how to bring them together in scalable, sustainable ways.
Defining digital transformation, Gartner analyst Hung LeHong says:
"In a nutshell, we reserve digital business transformation for companies pursuing net new revenue streams, products and services and business models".
At Optimation, we are not quite so single-minded in the way we view Digital Transformation. Instead, our breadth and depth of capabilities mean we can adapt and respond flexibly to our clients. This could mean working with them through an end-to-end digital transformation program, or it can mean engaging at any point in the cycle of ‘innovate – transform – maintain’.
We proudly remain technology agnostic
The interdependence with external technological environments, of course, brings unpredictability. Therefore, technological strategies need to be agnostic and polyglot, that is, open and flexible enough to adapt to opportunities and preferences at any given time.
This unbiased independence allows us to apply the best and most appropriate methods, tools and resources to a solution without limiting its effectiveness. Because when it comes to the use of different technology tools to solve different problems, what really matters is achieving the right outcome.
Optimation specialises in the software development solution lifecycle, from business design through to delivery and support. We offer the full spectrum of professional services, within a practice-led structure that delivers best-in-class capability and IP backed by mature processes, methodologies and governance.
Practical innovation
We make the possible, real. Our consultant-led approach uses the principles of design thinking to solve complex conundrums and meet exact requirements. This means whatever we deliver for you will fulfil the specific needs and desires of the people using it, while also being technologically feasible and strategically viable.
Purposeful transformation
Whether it’s improving transparency, reducing the risk or increasing productivity and profit growth, our scale of resource and proven experience can rapidly deploy new business models and technologies to enhance your organisation.
Efficient maintenance
With a successful team and proven processes built up over more than 25 years, we help our clients free up in-house resources to focus on moving forward through effectively managed outsourcing and support.
The figure below provides a brief overview of our practice areas:
